Australian Patent Number 641920 incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein discloses a wall construction shown in FIG. 6 that includes a number of spaced apart, uptight channel-shaped studs 118 and a number of concrete panels 126.
The studs 118 are supported on a concrete footing and slab 110 formed as a one piece unit in situ. The slab 110 is reinforced by mesh reinforcement 112 and has a peripheral recess 114 arranged to receive lower ends of the concrete panels 126.
Each concrete panel 126 includes a rear face having an outwardly projecting tie member 128 extending therefrom. The tie members 128 project into the channel-shaped studs 118 and engage horizontal pins or bars 130. The panels 126 are arranged to fit together in abutting relation and form an external wall of the completed wall structure.
An L-shaped (or alternatively an upwardly-facing U-shape) plate 116 extends along a side of the slab 110 adjacent the recess 114. The lower plate 116 is located below the studs 118 in the completed wall and faces upwardly so as to be able to receive lower ends of the vertical studs 118.
To secure the plate 116 to the studs 118 the lower end of each stud 118 has attached thereto a respective bracket 150. Each bracket 150 is generally J-shaped in side elevation and has an upwardly extending rear flange 151 and a lower flange 152. A lower bracket 150 is attached to the rear face of a stud 118 by bolts 153 passed through the flange 151. The lower flange 152 is integrally formed with the flange 151 and extends horizontally below the plate 116 as shown in FIG. 6 so as to engage the plate 116 with the stud 118.
Each bracket 150 has a hooked section 154 extending upwardly and inwardly from the end of the flange 152 remote from the flange 151 and being so shaped as to engage the plate 116 and enter the stud 118 being secured by the bracket 150.
The studs 118 are filled with concrete once the panels 126 have been mounted on the bars 130 and the bracket 50 has been bolted tightly in position. An interior wall 122 is mounted to inner faces of the studs 118 in known manner using horizontal channel members 124.
Although the wall construction shown in FIG. 6 has worked well, on occasion it has been found that the lower plate 116 has a tendency to accumulate moisture in use. The lower plate 116 is typically formed of ferrous metal such as steel. Thus, it has been found that the lower plate 116 is prone to corrosion.